Geschatte leestijd: 4 minutenWhat is your vanity? Spending an hour and a half in front of the mirror every day, working out in the gym, or both?
Vanitas vanitatum et omnia vanitas
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
If you know the book of Ecclesiastes from the Bible or the theme behind the painting “Vanitas,” then you know this saying. However, the chances are much greater that you know this saying, like me, thanks to the Latin-speaking pirate from “Asterix and Obelix.”
The saying is based on the Protestant idea that life is temporary, and you should focus on life after death. Outward appearance is then not important.
“Memento mori,” another beautiful saying from that period:
“Remember, to die.”
Not that you would forget it, but in the sense of “know that eternal life after death is what really matters.”
A message that suicide bombers, for example, take to heart.
However, the other side of that coin is “Carpe diem”: seize the day. It’s precisely the knowledge that it will end someday that is the reason to make the most of it.
A bit fancier than YOLO, although it amounts to pretty much the same thing.
Kenneth
Admittedly, it’s a bit much religion, philosophy, and history for a fitness blog, but it reminded me of the logic of various forms of vanity, and the nerd in me just found it a nice intro.
An hour and a half in front of the mirror or in the gym
I find it funny that different people can be vain in completely different ways.
For example, the other day while shopping, I passed by a lady with quite a bit of excess weight. She looked neatly groomed, nice clothes, well-coiffed, and beautiful makeup. However, the overall impression for me was dominated by the extra 80 kilos she was carrying.
I think:
“You would probably look much nicer if you spent much less money and effort on styling and more on sports and healthy eating.”
Conversely, that lady might see me in the gym and think:
“Nice figure, but maybe you’d benefit more from wiping the Brinta residues from your beard when you leave the house in the morning and buying decent shoes and clothes from this millennium. And did you know you can have more hairstyles than ‘shaved’ and ‘should have shaved’?”
As little as I care about clothes and styling, I can be just as obsessive about my physique.
And no, this is not a typical difference between men and women. I know men for whom weekly eyebrow plucking is as natural as training chest and biceps is for many on Mondays. Just as there are women who are not at all concerned with the latest fashion or styling but are addicted to the gym.
Some men you see desperately trying to hide their baldness by sticking the few remaining hairs distributed on their skin, while their clothing indicates that they don’t care much about appearance.
So you don’t have to be vain in general to show a few specific vain traits.
Who’s Crazy?
I’m obviously biased.
I think: “A monkey with a gold ring is still an ugly thing.”
Only fun if you’re looking for a gold ring.
Making someone attractive who is overweight by putting a lot of effort into clothing and styling just doesn’t seem logical to me as long as you’re not working on the overweight. A bit like trying to fix a car falling apart with a new paint job, fake alloy wheels, and a too loud exhaust.
I especially don’t get it. Because apparently, you do care enough about your appearance to spend so much on makeup and clothing, but not enough to do something about your weight?
If I were single, I would also think about the “bedroom test.” It’s nice that you got someone into the bedroom with your appearance, but will that person stay there when you take off your clothes?
It seems much nicer to me if you hear an enthusiastic “wow!” when you take off your shirt instead of a disappointed:
“Ohh.”
Reputation
In earlier articles, I already touched on what makes us attractive to the opposite sex and that some strange things can play a role in that (for example, hungry men find women with large breasts more beautiful than when they’re not hungry).
However, what most will understand is that the (evolutionary) need of a woman for a “strong man who can take care of you” has undergone some changes. This is evidenced, among other things, by the hordes of beautiful women throwing themselves at IT millionaires who were once bullied as nerds in school.
We all try to gain reputation through the available means. One with a fat Porsche in front of the door, the other in the latest designer clothes, the fitness enthusiast with their body. One woman in a neat suit and expensive jewelry, the other in a tight top and yoga pants to show off the squat butt and six-pack.
The advantage of fitness as a way to increase your reputation is that (almost) everyone has the opportunity to do so regardless of education and socio-cultural background.
Vanity takes time
You can objectively look at the time “your vanity” takes up. Spending an hour in front of the mirror and half an hour in your wardrobe can add up to the same time as going to the gym four or five times a week. And both have to be done over and over again to maintain the results.
Therefore, I wouldn’t want to be such a “Calvin Klein model type.”
Imagine having to train every day, spend an hour and a half on your appearance every day, and besides your budget for supplements, also have a substantial budget for designer clothing. However, as a model, you have an excuse; it’s your job, and that time still yields something.
Health
There is, of course, one thing that strongly favors exercising over dressing and buying. Health cannot be dressed up, made up, and even taking care of your health can only be partially influenced by the contents of your wallet.
“My vanity” ensures that I eat healthy food and exercise enough.
The color of your pants may make you look a few kilos lighter, but your heart and blood vessels won’t be fooled so easily.
Omnia vanitas
In the end, however, it’s all vanity.
I would be lying if I said I exercise for my health, and that goes for many others. I just want to look better. I do that through exercise, someone else with clothes and purchases, and yet another with a display of wealth.
To each their own… but mine is, of course, the best.
